This invention relates to a method of processing digital images of at least one photographic image and distributing visual prints produced from the digital images. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of processing at least one digital image of at least one photographic image and distributing visual prints in various formats corresponding to the at least one digital image.
In a common photographic process, a series of photographic prints are taken with a camera and the exposed film is sent to a photographic laboratory where the film is developed. In the developing process, the exposed film is transferred in darkness into a developing solution, which causes any affected grain of the latent image to be wholly converted into silver. After a brief rinse in a stop bath of acid or water to remove developer and to stop development, the film is fixed in a solution of sodium thiosulfate or in a more rapid fixing solution. These solutions dissolve and remove the unchanged silver salts, thus rendering the film insensitive to light. The film is then washed and dried. Each picture is now a transparent negative in which light parts of the object are represented by dark areas and dark parts by light areas.
A large negative can be used to make a contact print, but small negatives are usually placed in an enlarger in which light from a lamp throws an enlarged and accurately focused image onto a piece of printing paper that has been coated with an emulsion similar to that on the film but less sensitive to light. The paper is then developed and fixed to form a positive print. The developed photographic prints are then provided to the photographer.
Although the photographic process of developing and distributing photographic prints has proven satisfactory, further improvements in the field of processing and distributing photographic film are desired. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of processing digital images of at least one photographic image and distributing visual prints produced from the digital images. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of processing digital images of at least the photographic image and distributing visual prints through the use of an interface such as an HTML interface, client interface, or received via a telephone operator or printed order. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of processing digital images of at least one photographic image and distributing visual prints that is economical and easily accessible through a secure network.
This invention is directed to a method for selectively receiving an order for goods and/or services by a service provider with respect to a digital image over a communication network from a plurality of different users, comprising the steps of storing an album containing one or more digital images on a server for each of said plurality of different users, associating a price sheet to said album with respect to each of said plurality of different users, said price sheet setting forth the cost for said goods and/or services to be offered with respect to said album, allowing selective access to said album by said user from a remote location to said server over a communication network for viewing and ordering of goods and/or services being offered in said price sheet with respect to said album and receiving an order with respect to said album over said communication network wherein said associated price sheet was used for assessing cost with respect to said order.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for receiving orders for goods and/or services over a communication network on behalf of a plurality of different service providers, comprising the steps of storing a plurality of albums each containing one or more digital images on a server for a plurality of different users, each of said albums being associated with one of said plurality of different service providers, associating a price sheet to said album that is uniquely associated with said associated service provider, said price sheet setting forth the goods and/or services and the cost for said goods and/or services to be offered with respect to said album, allowing selective access to said album by said user from a remote location to said server over a communication network for viewing and ordering of goods and/or services and receiving an order with respect to said album over said communication network wherein said associated price sheet was used for assessing cost with respect to said order.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for receiving orders for photographic products over a communication network comprising a service provider for obtaining digital images on behalf of a user, an image server where said digital are stored and images, one or more price sheets is associated with said digital images, said price sheet identifying one or more products and prices for said products that may be ordered using the digital images a remote computer for accessing said digital images and placing an order for one or more products over a communication network, wherein said price sheet is used to identify the products that may be ordered and prices for said products.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for receiving orders for photographic products over a communication network comprising obtaining digital images by a service provider on behalf of a user, storing said digital images on an image server and associating a price sheet to said digital images said price sheet identifying one or more products and prices for said products that may be ordered using the digital images accessing said digital images and placing an order for one or more products over a communication network from a remote computer, wherein said price sheet is used to identify the products that may be ordered and prices for said products.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for receiving orders for photographic products over a communication network comprising, a service provider for obtaining digital images on behalf of a user, an image server where said digital images and a plurality of different price sheets are stored, each of said price sheets identifying one or more products and prices for said products that may be ordered using the digital images, wherein one of said price sheets is associated with said digital images based on a predetermined criteria and a remote computer for accessing said digital images and placing an order for one or more products over a communication network, wherein said associated price sheet is used to identify the products that may be ordered and prices for said products.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for receiving orders for photographic products over a communication network comprising obtaining digital images by a service provider on behalf of a user, storing said digital images an image server and associating a price sheet from a plurality of different price sheets to said digital images based on a predetermined criteria; said price sheet identifying one or more products and prices for said products that may be ordered using the digital images, and accessing said digital images and placing an order for one or more products over a communication network from a remote computer, wherein said price sheet is used to identify the products that may be ordered and prices for said products.
The at least one digital image of at least one photographic image may be acquired from exposed photographic film or from a digital camera.